International eXcellence Luxury Magazinehttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk
enBerret Racoupeau Yacht Design exhibiting at Boot Düsseldorfhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/berret-racoupeau-yacht-design-exhibiting-boot-dusseldorf
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Ben Black on Thu, 17/01/2019 - 16:26</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/royal-huisman-110.png?itok=Gtt3rj9D" width="890" height="594" alt="Royal-Huisman-110" title="Royal-Huisman-110" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>As part of Berret Racoupeau Yacht Design's international strategy, Boot Düsseldorf, the world's largest indoor boat show, has long been a key event. The 2019 edition is no exception to the rule, and even stands out with a record number of new models being presented. In fact, Berret Racoupeau would like to invite you to discover three leisure boat projects and three Super-yachts at (Hall 7A – E04) from 19th to 27th January.<br />
<br />
The success of their previous models and the mutual trust consolidated over the years make their naval architectural firm a constant partner of the largest boat builders. With this in mind, at Düsseldorf they’ll be unveiling the forthcoming:<br />
<br />
- Amel 60 : Building on the success of the recent 50-footer, European Boat of the Year 2018 (Luxury Cruisers category), the plans for the future Amel 60 will be unveiled at the Düsseldorf show. Along with the 50, this will complete a perfect pair of standard-setting offshore cruising boats.<br />
<br />
- Allures 51.9 : With 15 years of fruitful cooperation, Allures Yachting and Berret Racoupeau Yacht Design are re-inventing the cruising flag ship, including an exclusive interior and deck plan.<br />
<br />
- New 45 : Fountaine-Pajot will be soon be launching their new mid-range boat, which promises to be more racy, more luxurious and even brighter.<br />
<br />
In the Super-yacht market, Berret Racoupeau's orderbook confirms the international reputation their business has gained, in particular presenting for the prestigious Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman a 110-foot sailing catamaran, a scale model of which will be on display on the stand, and a 118-foot motor catamaran. They are particularly proud of this collaboration, which is the ultimate recognition of their expertise in large multihulls. In the same spirit, they will be able to tell you more about a brand new 70-foot carbon catamaran, where level of performance has been the cornerstone of the project.<br />
<br />
Lastly, on the evening of Saturday January 19th the winners of the European Yacht of the Year 2019 will be announced. Whatever the results, Berret Racoupeau Yacht Design are already very happy to see, something extremely rare, two of their designs nominated: the Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42 in the 'Luxury-Cruisers' category and the Astréa 42 by Fountaine Pajot in the 'Multihull' category.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.berret-racoupeau.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.berret-racoupeau.com/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.boat-duesseldorf.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.boat-duesseldorf.com/</a></p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 17 Jan 2019 16:26:01 +0000Ben Black32175 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/berret-racoupeau-yacht-design-exhibiting-boot-dusseldorf#commentsMutt Motorcycles Retro Super 4 125https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/mutt-motorcycles-retro-super-4-125
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Ben Black on Wed, 16/01/2019 - 15:07</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/mutt-motorcycle-super-4.jpg?itok=xhODnzcR" width="890" height="594" alt="Mutt Motorcycles Retro Super 4 125" title="Mutt Motorcycles Retro Super 4 125" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Birmingham’s custom motorcycle chop shop The House of Mutt present something slightly different for their next 125. The SUPER 4, for the beautiful freaks and edgy nostalgics. Featuring a striking 70’s Boogie Nights inspired fuel tank, which comes in eye-popping blue or gold micro-flake throwing back to the original superbikes from the land of the rising sun. That doesn’t mean this bike is style over substance though. It bears all the hallmarks of a House of Mutt original, 18” big nobbly tires, diamond pattern low profile seat and a stainless steel exhaust system which emits that unmistakable deep thump that you will only hear from a Mutt.</p>
<p>To uphold their custom vibe they have opted for a narrow chrome bar and black diamond pattern grips, shortened rear aluminium mudguard which is finished in raw satin. The bulletproof, 4-stroke motor is housed their own twin shock tube frame and fuel injected for that extra smooth bit of poke. Head of The House and chief of customisation Benny Thomas told us about how the SUPER 4 is so unique; ‘’The styling idea behind the Super 4 was to create a bike that echoes the current movement of customising 70's Japanese classics, except we want that feel straight out the gate without the headaches of working on old bikes. The Super 4 paint is a custom slant on the 70's factory paint jobs and of course the fat tyres, short aluminium mudguards and all the other parts that make up the Super 4 help give this little thumper a solid custom built vibe.’’</p>
<p>The House of Mutt’s slabs of heavy metal from Birmingham can count some of the countries biggest creators as part of the club, bikes currently belonging to no less than; Tom Hardy (Actor), Reggie Yates (Entertainer / Documentarian), James May (The Grand Tour/Presenter) Skin (Musician/Skunk Anansie), Ben Ransom (Rugby), Iwan Thomas (Athlete), Rob Halliday (Musician/The Prodigy) and Lee Malia (Musician/Bring Me The Horizon).</p>
<p>If a super cool customised 70’s machine gets your wheels rolling, then try out one of their Mutt Super-4’s.</p>
<p>Full Tech Specs for THE SUPER 4 // 125<br />
Weight (Dry) 105kg<br />
Seat Height 780mm<br />
Engine: fuel injected 4-stroke single cylinder<br />
Displacement 125cc<br />
Max Power 12hp<br />
Max torque 10Nm<br />
Transmission 5 speed manual<br />
Top Speed 70mph<br />
Fuel tank 12L<br />
2-year warranty<br />
Custom Matt Black paint<br />
Bespoke Black seat<br />
Aluminium mud guards – satin black<br />
Headlight Grill<br />
TKC80 Twin Duro tyres<br />
18” wheels with blacked out rims and spokes<br />
Flat satin Black Renthal bars<br />
Custom built stainless steel exhaust in Satin Black<br />
Black diamond pattern grips<br />
LED Custom tail light<br />
LED bullet indicators<br />
Blacked out satin custom shocks<br />
Combined disc brake system<br />
Halogen headlight<br />
EU4 compliant</p>
<p>Price: £3495 + otr<br /><a href="http://www.muttmotorcycles.com" rel="nofollow">www.muttmotorcycles.com</a></p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 16 Jan 2019 15:07:33 +0000Ben Black32143 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/mutt-motorcycles-retro-super-4-125#commentsBest Wedding Make Up & Hair Tipshttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/tracey-gray-mann/best-wedding-make-hair-tips
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Tracey Gray Mann on Wed, 09/01/2019 - 11:43</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/wedding-images-005-w.jpeg?itok=AR2pTsnV" width="890" height="594" alt="Best Wedding Make Up &amp; Hair Tips" title="Best Wedding Make Up &amp; Hair Tips" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>It's finally here: your wedding day. It's a day you'll always remember and your time to shine - preferably with a radiant glow that should be apparent to everyone invited. Every bride wants to look her ultimate best on her wedding day but the preparations should start well in advance. It’s a good idea to have a timeline of beauty treatments scheduled, all leading up to the big day. Here’s some ideas for getting prepared in advance. Not that I’m necessarily recommending it, but if you do decide to get any professional treatments done, such as fillers or Botox, be sure to do this well in advance - at least 3 months or so ahead of the big day. I recently had a client who had an allergic reaction to fillers provided by a professional dermatologist. Luckily it wasn’t her wedding day, but it was an important photo shoot. Her face completely swelled up, and her doctor had to be flown in from New York to Paris to correct the treatment. If the work is done well you should still be looking great for your actual wedding day.</p>
<p>A MONTH BEFORE<br />
A deep cleansing facial should be done about a month before to give time for any issues to repair. A gentler, soothing facial with lymphatic drainage and blood circulation for a glowing complexion can be done a week before. Don’t be tempted to do any special or intense treatments the night before! Simply use your regular cleanser and night cream to avoid any last-minute reactions.</p>
<p>3 WEEKS BEFORE<br />
Once you've settled on your hair and make-up artist, schedule tests two - three weeks before the wedding to experiment with different looks, styles and products and see what works best for you. Try to imitate the environment you will get married in, including a similar temperature if possible, to know how your hair and makeup will react. If you're getting married on a tropical beach you need to take into account the humidity (and the hair that will inevitably fall flat!). Take photos in different lighting and test the products for wearability. Wear the hair and make-up looks all day and into the evening, so you can be aware of what touch-ups need doing and have any products you might need to hand.</p>
<p>10 DAYS BEFORE<br />
Stephane Pous, a Parisian hair colourist with a celebrity clientele, recommends colouring hair 10 days prior to the wedding. He says the colour becomes more beautiful after two or three shampoos, once the pigment's oxidant has settled and the colour becomes more natural. Stephane also discourages deep conditioning just before the wedding as it makes hair too soft and harder to style. Try to leave it alone as much as possible.</p>
<p>4 DAYS BEFORE<br />
Have your eyebrows groomed and/or tinted four days before the wedding. Keep the shape close to your natural brow contour, with added grooming and definition. Any waxing, exfoliating and tanning can be done at this time too.</p>
<p>1 DAY BEFORE<br />
Time for your manicure and pedicure. Nude with a hint of silver or gold at the tips will bring a little sparkle to the hands. </p>
<p>Bridal makeup can be classic or iconic, but at the end of the day it should be authentic to the person who’s wearing it. Whether you opt for glossy skin with a metallic eye make-up, a classic smoky eye and red lips, or keep things nude and natural - whatever the look, it should be customised to you. For big events like this you should focus on bringing out your best features, so that you can confidently feel your most beautiful self.</p>
<p>Here are a couple of tips that should help your wedding make-up last all day, and a few of my favourite products for future brides:</p>
<p>Use a primer on eyelids and lips to help prevent creasing and improve wear.</p>
<p>Glowing skin is in. To get this look, my foundation of choice is Guerlain Lingerie de Peau, which uses special correcting pigments and powders to get a flawless finish without looking heavy. It’s wearability is good and it doesn’t really need powder. Available in 18 shades with 3 different undertones - cool, neutral and warm - it has quite an extensive range which should suit most skin tones.</p>
<p>Cream blush seamlessly blends into foundation for a more natural finish. I love the all natural ILIA Cosmetics Illuminator and Multi-sticks to warm up and flatter a range of skin tones. Run some colour across your décolleté if you're wearing something a little lower to tie everything together.</p>
<p>Waterproof eyeliner and mascara that you know will last throughout the day - happy tears included. Dior's On Stage Liner comes in a multitude of matte shades, is waterproof and easy to apply. Pair with the Dior Pump ’N’ Volume Waterproof mascara for naturally voluminous lashes.</p>
<p>Choose a long-lasting lipstick or stain which will fade naturally throughout the day. The last thing you want to worry about is touching up your lipstick through dinner and kisses!</p>
<p>Don't forget a setting spray to lock everything in - you can't go far wrong with the All Nighter Setting Spray from Urban Decay.</p>
<p>Give a small see-through make-up bag with your essentials to a person you can rely on for any touch-ups throughout the day. Include blotting paper from Mai Couture to help control oil and minimise shine. These are compact and easy to use.</p>
<p>Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your wedding!<br />
<br />
Tracey Gray Mann<br /><a href="http://TraceyGrayMann.com" rel="nofollow">http://TraceyGrayMann.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 09 Jan 2019 11:43:02 +0000Tracey Gray Mann31971 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/tracey-gray-mann/best-wedding-make-hair-tips#commentsLuxurious Lisbonhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/adam-jacot-de-boinod/luxurious-lisbon
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Adam Jacot de Boinod on Mon, 07/01/2019 - 12:53</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/la-pala-palace-hotel-lisbon-000.jpg?itok=y6ls2Bn5" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" title="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/la-pala-palace-hotel-lisbon-002.jpg?itok=HlBJI7eZ" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" title="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/la-pala-palace-hotel-lisbon-003.jpg?itok=EvYzT-PP" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" title="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/la-pala-palace-hotel-lisbon-004.jpg?itok=2U4LjECX" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" title="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/la-pala-palace-hotel-lisbon-005.jpg?itok=o-jqtSLc" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" title="La Pala Palace Hotel Lisbon" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/luxury-lisbon-002.jpg?itok=aPQAyrH5" width="890" height="594" alt="Lisbon Yachts" title="Lisbon Yachts" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/luxury-lisbon-003.jpg?itok=dTAr_Zky" width="890" height="594" alt="Lisbon Bridge" title="Lisbon Bridge" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/lapa_palace_entrance.jpeg?itok=LQG_Z2v6" width="890" height="594" alt="La Pala Palace Hotel by Emma Ball" title="La Pala Palace Hotel by Emma Ball" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>‘What beauties doth Lisboa first unfold,’ gasped Byron’s Childe Harold and certainly the city is highly reminiscent of Paris decades ago. Her special quality consists partly from the exhilarating light falling on her blue-tiled walls and white stone pavements: a clarity assisted by cloudless skies. Indeed the climate was fabulous as, over the New Year, the sun not only shone it penetrated with a refreshing breeze coming off the Atlantic off whose coast Lisbon is the only European capital.</p>
<p>I spent my first night fully immersed at a fado venue Sr Vinho (<a href="http://www.srvinho.com" rel="nofollow">www.srvinho.com</a>) on Rua do Meio à Lapa and met with the owner Filipa Gordo, the daughter of Jose Luis a poet and the legendary fado singer Maria da Fé.<br />
Over a glass of S. Sebastião Tinto (red) to go with my olives and cheese followed by S. Sebastião Branco (white) to go with my mango mousse, Filipa told me of the poems both old and new that they sing. The line-up included two women in starkly contrasting styles. Aldina Duarte stood still and upright as she bellowed forth while Vanessa Alves was ever the actress, extravert and gesticular. They sing out to a wall, to their fellow musicians and occasionally to the audience directly. The accompaniment, typically comprising of a viola and Portuguese guitar, often offsets their vocal ferocity by playing jolly, gentle bracing tunes.</p>
<p>The next day I was in Belém and near Lisbon’s main attraction, the Jerónimos Monastery is the Pastéis de Belém, a large, airy bakery-cum-café and a huge hit with the tourists. It makes those lovely egg tart pastries dusted with cinnamon (‘pastel de nata’) the city is famous for and their particular recipe is eagerly sought after but is known by only three people causing them never to travel together. From here I found a row of outdoor touristic eateries from which to choose my lunch and from where the fresh air came off the estuary and the orange trees were laden with produce proving too tempting for one local to ignore.</p>
<p>I stayed at the Lapa Palace (<a href="http://www.lapapalace.com" rel="nofollow">www.lapapalace.com</a>). A study in elegance, this perfectly pink hotel has the feel of a well-run private house. I had dinner in a gorgeous ‘peachy pink’ room, a colour supposedly symbolising nobility, beneath Murano chandeliers suggesting the 1920s era of good times and affluence. Chef Hélder Santos offered an authentic menu. I had a Bolete Cannelloni, not in fact pasta but crab with beetroot spheres and vinegary radish purée. I drank Quinta de Santiago with my fish and seafood casserole that was scented with coriander and came with vaporised white rice. For dessert I chose Portuguese cheeses, served with dried fruits, tomato relish and traditional jams and instead of pudding wine I had Vieira de Sousa port.</p>
<p>Set beside a lovely indoor pool with little chlorine and long enough to do some meaningful lengths is the hotel spa for which, for my treatment, tempted though I was, as always by the ‘hot stone therapy’, I chose the ‘destress detox muscle massage’. Ninety minutes of kneeding and prodding was also a meaningful length!</p>
<p>The whole of Lisbon is like a tile museum with its colourful panels. For the real thing I went to the Museu do Azulejo which is for me that rarity, namely a perfect museum. It’s unspoilt with a discreet and understated entrance. It’s the ideal size with two floors. It was originally a convent and its calm aura persists. The building is as beautiful as the exhibits many of which are in situ which enhances the experience. There are sheds with boxes of individual tiles, work in progress as they wait to be joined like a jigsaw. Two courtyards enticed me and enveloped me into their fold. Even the café had beautiful tiles depicting hams, fish and game and the garden was well kept but not too trimmed.</p>
<p>Shopping in Portugal is comparatively cheap. I got (admittedly from a sale) a set of clothes that would have cost twice as much in London. Lisbon still has a plethora of small independent boutiques that specialise in a singular product such as hats, gloves or cheese. Or even eels as Factory Of Eels on Rua da Prata manage to package its products, which wouldn’t normally be to everyone’s taste, so well that even they would surely be tempted. For chocolate there’s an amazing presentation at Chocolataria Equador on Rua da Misericórdia and for coffee there’s Café A Brasileira (The Brazilian Lady Cafe) on Rua Garrett with its original panelled ceiling decor where once writers gathered and now tourists flock. Property has gone up 30% in the last two years as the secret of this enchanting city has finally been revealed. Go now before things might change.</p>
<p>Adam Jacot de Boinod</p>
<p>FACT BOX</p>
<p>Classic Collection Holidays (0800 047 1064; <a href="http://www.classic-collection.co.uk" rel="nofollow">www.classic-collection.co.uk</a>) offers 3 nights at Lapa Palace, Lisbon from £959 per person. Price based on 2 adults sharing on a bed &amp; breakfast basis and includes return flights from London Heathrow to Lisbon and private transfers.</p>
<p>Adam had further support from <a href="http://www.heathrowexpress.com" rel="nofollow">www.heathrowexpress.com</a> and <a href="http://www.holidayextras.co.uk" rel="nofollow">www.holidayextras.co.uk</a> (who offer airport lounges at all major UK airports and many international destinations).</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 07 Jan 2019 12:53:40 +0000Adam Jacot de Boinod31924 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/adam-jacot-de-boinod/luxurious-lisbon#commentsToyota Announce $4 Million Mobility Unlimited Challenge Finalistshttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/international-excellence/toyota-announce-4-million-mobility-unlimited
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by International eXcellence on Mon, 07/01/2019 - 12:16</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/toyota_announce_4_million_mobility_unlimited_challenge_finalists.png?itok=hf1bxt8d" width="890" height="594" alt="Toyota Announce $4 Million Mobility Unlimited Challenge Finalists" title="Toyota Announce $4 Million Mobility Unlimited Challenge Finalists" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>TOYOTA UNVEILS FIVE VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY AT CES</p>
<p>Toyota Mobility Foundation, in partnership with Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre, announces finalists in $4 million global Mobility Unlimited Challenge, at CES in Las Vegas<br />
Innovators from around the world submitted game-changing technologies to improve the lives of people with lower limb paralysis<br />
Finalists include teams from the United Kingdom, United States, Japan and Italy, with devices ranging from a hybrid exoskeleton on wheels, to a powered wheelchair share scheme<br />
Each finalist receives a $500,000 grant to develop their idea, with the final winner receiving $1 million<br />
The five finalists in the three-year Mobility Unlimited Challenge have been announced at CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas. The Toyota Mobility Foundation launched the $4 million global challenge in 2017 in partnership with Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre.</p>
<p>Around the world, millions of people are living with lower-limb paralysis, most commonly as a result of strokes, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. The World Health Organisation estimates there are between a quarter and half a million new cases of spinal cord injury globally every year.</p>
<p>The Challenge invited engineers, innovators and designers from across the world to submit designs for game-changing technologies to improve the mobility and independence of people with lower-limb paralysis. Central to the Challenge is the importance of working with end-users to develop devices which will integrate seamlessly into their lives and environments, while being comfortable and easy to use.</p>
<p>Each of the five finalists will receive a grant of $500,000 to develop their concept further. They will attend workshops, receive mentoring opportunities with engineering experts and collaborate with equipment users to help develop their concepts. The ultimate winner will be announced in Tokyo in 2020 and will receive $1 million.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The five finalists are: -</p>
<p>Phoenix Ai Ultralight Wheelchair, Phoenix Instinct (United Kingdom): an ultra-lightweight, self-balancing, intelligent wheelchair which eliminates painful vibrations. Using smart sensors, the chair will configure itself to what the user is doing so it remains in sync with how the user moves. It will have many smart functions never before seen in wheelchairs, for example intelligent, lightweight power assist to help make slopes easier to ascend.<br />
<br />
The Evowalk, Evolution Devices (United States): a non-intrusive sleeve which goes around the user’s leg and has sensors that track walking motion and stimulate the right muscles at the right time to improve mobility. This personalised, timed muscle stimulation will also rehabilitate muscles over time.</p>
<p>Moby, Italdesign (Italy): the first mobility service created for wheelchair users, operating like a cycle share scheme in urban hubs. Offering a series of wheel-on electric devices, it will make travelling around cities much simpler and easier for people with lightweight manual wheelchairs. The service is accessible via an app-based share scheme.<br />
<br />
Qolo (Quality of Life with Locomotion), Team Qolo, University of Tsukuba, Japan: this is a mobile exoskeleton on wheels which helps users to sit or stand with ease, effectively removing the ‘chair’ from ‘wheelchair’. Mobility is controlled using the upper body, allowing hands-free operation. The device enables users to travel around in a standing position, changing both physiological and social aspects of everyday living.</p>
<p>Quix, IHMC &amp; MYOLYN (United States): a highly mobile, powered exoskeleton offering fast, stable and agile upright mobility, Quix uses modular actuation, perception technology from autonomous vehicles and control algorithms for balancing autonomous humanoid robots to deliver the mobility, safety and independence that current exoskeletons cannot provide.</p>
<p>A total of 80 entries were received from 28 countries and the finalists were chosen by a panel of expert judges including, from the UK, Sophie Morgan, television presenter and disability advocate, and Ruth Peachment, Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist at the National Spinal Injuries Centre.</p>
<p>Dr. Eric Krotkov, Chief Science Officer at the Toyota Research Institute and one of the Challenge judges, said: “There are so many technological opportunities to explore approaches to alleviate challenges stemming from lower-limb paralysis. A competition like the Mobility Unlimited Challenge gets innovators to focus on the same problem to identify something of great common interest that serves society. I am excited by these finalists who have a breadth of technical approaches - wheelchairs, orthotics, braces and exoskeletons. I look forward to seeing how they will take these devices out of their conceptual stage to help our end users.”</p>
<p>Ryan Klem, Director of Programs for the Toyota Mobility Foundation commented: “These five finalists have shown real innovation driven by human-centred design. We think that the technology incorporated in these devices could change the lives of a huge number of people around the world, not just for those with lower-limb paralysis, but also those with a wider range of mobility needs. It will be fascinating to follow the teams’ journeys and see how the $500,000 grant will help them develop their ideas to bring them to market and into the hands of users.”</p>
<p>To ensure entries from organisations of all sizes, the Challenge also offered ten teams seed funding in the form of $50,000 Discovery Award grants during the entry period. Of the ten Discovery Award winners, four went on to be selected as finalists.</p>
<p>Charlotte Macken of Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre said: “Current personal mobility devices are often unable to fully meet the needs of users due to limitations affecting functionality and usability. Historically, the pace of innovation is slow, due to small and fragmented markets and difficulties in getting new technology funded by health-care systems and insurers. This can make the field unattractive to the very people who could help change the world. We hope that challenges like this can inspire innovation and are excited to see how the five finalists use this opportunity to develop their ideas further.”</p>
<p>Recent global polling:</p>
<p>As well as encouraging collaboration with end-users, the Toyota Mobility Foundation commissioned polling to help Challenge entrants understand the needs of wheelchair users. The research, carried out by ComRes, polled wheelchair users in five countries around the world (UK, US, Japan, India and Brazil) and found:<br />
89% of wheelchair users say they have experienced pain and discomfort as a result of their mobility devices<br />
45% say they experience back pain at least once a day<br />
31% say they experience shoulder pain at least once a day<br />
29% say they experience neck pain at least once a day<br />
29% say they experience repetitive strain injury (RSI)<br />
22% say they constantly experience back pain<br />
22% say they experience pressure sores<br />
89% of wheelchair users said they had experienced negative consequences as a result of using a wheelchair or mobility device when working or job hunting<br />
29% said they felt their talent had been wasted<br />
28% said they felt they had been held back in their career<br />
The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society.<br />
The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility.<br />
It utilises Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, government, non-profit organisations, research institutions and other organisations to address mobility issues around the world.<br />
Programmes include resolving transportation problems, expanding the use of personal mobility and developing solutions for next generation mobility.<br />
Learn more at <a href="http://www.toyotamobilityfoundation.org" rel="nofollow">www.toyotamobilityfoundation.org</a></p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 07 Jan 2019 12:16:41 +0000International eXcellence31923 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/international-excellence/toyota-announce-4-million-mobility-unlimited#commentsNavetta 33 & Navetta 37 Launched at Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Anconahttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/navetta-33-navetta-37-launched-ferretti-group-superyacht-yard
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Ben Black on Fri, 21/12/2018 - 12:46</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/navetta-33-custom-line-ferretti.jpg?itok=QKYRjOCA" width="890" height="594" alt="Navetta 33 Launched at Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Ancona" title="Navetta 33 Launched at Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Ancona" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The works of nautical art made to measure by Custom Line are winning the hearts of an increasing number of owners and enthusiasts. Two new launches were held in the same week at Ferretti Group’s Superyacht Yard in Ancona: the “Maria Theresa”, the sixth Custom Line Navetta 33, and the “Dilly Dally”, the sixth Custom Line Navetta 37.</p>
<p>These two masterpieces of nautical engineering are the result of the partnership between the Product Strategy Committee – headed by Engineer Piero Ferrari – the Engineering Department, and Studio Zuccon International Project - which designed the exterior lines of the two yachts. The Navetta 33 and the Navetta 37 offer seaworthiness, comfort, safety, and customization, qualities which are part of the brand’s DNA from the outset. These product are revolutionary in terms of their style, volume, and attention to detail.</p>
<p>As with all Custom Line vessels, the interior layouts offer exclusive features. Every request from the customer was implemented by the architects and designers at the shipyard. These teams, who work with a vast range of prized woods and furnishing materials on display at the showroom, came up with solutions that are both functional and aesthetically advanced.<br />
The owner of the sixth Navetta 33 is from Brazil, whereas the owner of the new Navetta 37 hails from America.</p>
<p>The two events were held at Ferretti Group’s Superyacht Yard in Ancona, the world-class ship-building facility that also produces the steel and aluminium mega-yachts for the CRN, Riva, and Pershing brands, as well as the entire Custom Line fleet in composite.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 21 Dec 2018 12:46:01 +0000Ben Black31754 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/ben-black/navetta-33-navetta-37-launched-ferretti-group-superyacht-yard#commentsEscaping Winter Blues At Nutfield Priory Hotel and Spa https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/escaping-winter-blues-nutfield-priory-hotel-and-spa
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Helena Carter on Tue, 18/12/2018 - 21:44</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/aerial-exterior.jpg?itok=2gBvXFJa" width="890" height="594" alt="Nutfield Priory Hotel and Spa" title="Nutfield Priory Hotel and Spa" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/feature_room_at_nutfield_priory.jpg?itok=LymuWNO3" width="890" height="594" alt="One of the many beautiful rooms at Nutfield Priory" title="One of the many beautiful rooms at Nutfield Priory" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_cloisters_restaurant.jpg?itok=ZUpA5lBM" width="890" height="594" alt="Cloisters Restaurant at Nutfield Priory Hotel" title="Cloisters Restaurant at Nutfield Priory Hotel" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_priory_healthclub.jpg?itok=niVE-yAo" width="890" height="594" alt="Nutfield Priory Health Club" title="Nutfield Priory Health Club" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_priory_the_grand_hall_2.jpg?itok=3-1jR-Yf" width="890" height="594" alt="The stunning Grand Hall at Nutfield Priory" title="The stunning Grand Hall at Nutfield Priory" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_swimming_pool.jpg?itok=EcdyODbE" width="890" height="594" alt="The swimming pool at Nutfield Priory Spa" title="The swimming pool at Nutfield Priory Spa" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_the_library.jpg?itok=H7RiDSqH" width="890" height="594" alt="The Library at Nutfield Priory" title="The Library at Nutfield Priory" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/nutfield_view.jpg?itok=7scgEnq5" width="890" height="594" alt="A room with a view at Nutfield Priory Hotel" title="A room with a view at Nutfield Priory Hotel" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>My ‘to do’ list tick-tocked through my mind. Emails, meetings, deadlines; presents to buy, friends to visit, appointments to sort. So much to do and so little time. How could I possibly relax and give in to the magic of the festive season with so much on my mind?</p>
<p>This pendulum of pressure was no match for Surrey’s Nutfield Priory Hotel and Spa.</p>
<p>Here is a hotel that exudes warmth and welcome. Stepping inside was like that post-Sunday lunch, ‘let’s all cosy up by the fire’ feeling, and that’s exactly what we did first.</p>
<p>The Great Hall, with its roaring fire, is the heartbeat of the hotel. A steady pulse of waiters bringing out steaming jugs of elderflower Darjeeling, managers greeting new guests, hungry visitors passing through on their way to Cloisters Restaurant, and those (quietly smug) friends for whom this has been their secret-getaway for years. We watched this bonjour-adieu, menu-giving, order-taking theatre from our sofa in the corner as we broke open cinnamon Christmas scones fresh out of the oven and lathered them with jam and then clotted cream (apologies to the ‘cream comes first’ among you). The golden glow from the grand marble fireplace defrosted chilly fingers and toes, easing colour back into white winter cheeks, the towering Christmas tree inspiring ‘Have you seen this Mummy!’ astonishment as little Bambi feet tottered towards the sparkle.</p>
<p>The organ in the Great Hall is one of many reminders of the hotel’s past. It is a building with layer upon layer of stories. A much-loved family home, a base for Canadian soldiers in WWII, a training centre for ATS and NAAFI personnel, a school for severely deaf children, and, in 1987, becoming a hotel for the second time in its history. How fortunate we are to dip into this history, to absorb the architecture, the vast chandeliered ceiling, the stained-glass windows bathing the hall in their end-of-the-day glow.</p>
<p>Before we got too comfortable, we re-cocooned ourselves in our coats and half walked, half jogged (it was too cold to linger) our way to the spa. I was expecting to find it busy and bustling as I know how popular it is – however, to our benefit, it seemed most people were otherwise engaged with festive preparations (stay away ‘to do’ list, stay away!). This meant the following: sauna and magazine me-time, an empty indoor pool perfect for a leisurely swim, a steam room (that I know is doing me good somehow, even though it always takes me a few moments to remember how to breathe in there). There were plenty of sun-loungers to choose from (minus the sun), and, while it did need a few tiles replacing here and there, and could do with a spot of sprucing up, it was exactly what we needed. A place to relax and to focus not on what needs doing, but what’s being done this very moment in time.</p>
<p>Is it too cheeky to ask for Tanya for Christmas? She was my heavenly-handed masseuse, and she was wonderful. I was only with her for a short time, but each of those minutes were divine, as she kneaded away aches and eased my back pains that often cause me hassle. She was exactly what my we’ve-reached-December-and-we’re-shattered muscles were crying out for.</p>
<p>There’s no wonder the spa is popular with both guests and locals. The gym is very well-stocked with modern equipment, there’s a separate room for the spin-addicts among you, a squash court and dance studio. This is a bright, energetic health club – it takes sport and health seriously, and this is reflected in the visitors it attracts. Which, this time, wasn’t me. Although I do love getting my trainers on and pounding the treadmill, the temptation of the snug hotel was no competition.</p>
<p>Back in the hotel, we walked along a corridor decorated with quotes from famous authors: Charlotte Bronte, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Hardy (“To dwellers in a wood, almost every species of tree has its voice as well as its feature.”). For someone who loves nothing more than words (not even freshly-baked cinnamon scones), this linguistic flounce was décor at its best. And the fact that our suite was called Keats – well, even better. While I’m not sure he would have had much to write about the view (we were overlooking the car park at the back of the hotel), he certainly would have appreciated the interior. Thick, heavy curtains, cushion upon cushion upon cushion, a bed promisingly comfortable and a two-sink bathroom (diminishing the ‘who’s getting ready first?’ mirror-jostles). It was quiet, spacious and calm - a world away from busy streets and frantic lives. It was just what we needed.</p>
<p>Thus followed a Beckett’s and a Bathtub (I’m talking gin, not a long soak) in the Library (more words, more books plus a large gin - I was in heaven). This is an intimate room, with a bold fireplace and floor to ceiling bookshelves bulging with well-read volumes of crimson, holly green and dark chocolate - the kind of room that, over the years, will no-doubt have hosted cigar-puffing and bridge-playing, family get-togethers and husky ‘let’s meet in the library’ flirtations.</p>
<p>I’d been tempted to visit the Cloisters Restaurant earlier, but I’m so pleased I waited until the evening. This was the original school dining hall, but rid your mind of chattering chaos, sticky floors and cheese and bean toasties (on a good day). This is instead an exquisite place to dine. Ceilings arch above you, while before you stretches a restaurant exuding elegance. Carved stone walls, gentle light and an alluring, unpretentious atmosphere. It is refined, it is inviting - it is a smile of a restaurant.</p>
<p>Talking of smiles, I must introduce you to Martin, the flamboyant Restaurant Manager and the director for our evening. I say director because, in his words, “Dinner is a performance and each course is an act”. He made sure that every act was a delight. I would wholly recommend the starter of pan-fried diver scallop with pea foam, and the play-on-words dish of ham, egg and chips (try it and you’ll see for yourself). For the girl that could happily eat porridge any time of day (the student in me refuses to free itself), I of course had to go for a main dish of pig and porridge. For those of you grimacing at the thought of a Goldilocks-inspired dinner dish, think again. This was a delectable plate of tenderloin, belly and crackling, with purple carrot, port jus and a parmesan and thyme ‘porridge’. If you’d prefer a lighter main, the seared stone bass with artichoke purée, chickpeas with confit garlic and anchovy beignet is a definite yes. If there’s still space for dessert, the warm apple and blackberry crumble tart and the chocolate ganache with roasted pear and ginger crumble are enough to ward off even the bluest of winter blues. To drink, we were recommended a bottle of Little Eden Pinot Noir, a light, refreshing red. Blues, begone!</p>
<p>The ornate, arched restaurant windows overlook the Surrey countryside, at night a luscious darkness, with the far-off lights of Gatwick runway making ‘I wonder where that plane’s heading?’ imaginations runaway with each other (yes, mine included).</p>
<p>This view is even more stunning on a cold December morning, wrapped in soft winter mist. I’d never appreciated Surrey’s beauty in quite this way. A fusion of frost-bitten leaf, glossy lake, and the pin-prick to-ings and fro-ings of planes tearing cotton-coloured trails through the forget-me-not sky.</p>
<p>This break did me the world of good. Time to re-charge, time to relax, and time to re-evaluate that ‘to do’ list. Emails have been scrapped from the Number 1 spot, and in its place, organising drinks at Nutfield Priory with friends and family. There’ll always be so much to do, so instead, I’ll make the time for what’s most important of all.</p>
<p>To find out more or to book a room, visit: <a href="https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/nutfieldpriory" rel="nofollow">https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/nutfieldpriory</a></p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 18 Dec 2018 21:44:40 +0000Helena Carter31674 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/escaping-winter-blues-nutfield-priory-hotel-and-spa#commentsThe World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlarhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/viscount-yves-de-contades/world-leica-cameras-leitz-park-wetzlar
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Viscount Yves de Contades on Tue, 18/12/2018 - 11:55</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves046.jpg?itok=N5t2TASr" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves022.jpg?itok=Beho5PIx" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves030.jpg?itok=5QI-mD1X" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves036.jpg?itok=Q4_B05aN" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves038.jpg?itok=Wfr6inqn" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves040.jpg?itok=roWpBDRs" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves042.jpg?itok=GbrGZcqU" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves096.jpg?itok=QrhXK-J-" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves052.jpg?itok=NsG3i9CW" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves054.jpg?itok=kauaqZJl" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves056.jpg?itok=x20fpPKZ" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/leica-factory-leitz-park-wetzler-yves110.jpg?itok=87jO-zpb" width="890" height="594" alt="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" title="The World of Leica Cameras at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Arghhh, Heathrow at 6 am, not glamorous or clever. However I was off to visit The World of Leica at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar, an hour outside Frankfurt, which made it all worthwhile. Before we get into the wonders of the trip, let me reassure you that this latest architectural marvel is nowhere near as naff as it sounds, in fact, it is somewhat of a shrine for photographers both old and new, whether they shoot Leicas or not.</p>
<p>Leitz-Park was opened in 2014 and weirdly enough it is exactly as I imagined it would be. Clearly the architect was a photography fan and had the vision to execute something minimalistic, high tech, modern and welcoming, conveying all the excitement and passion that the venerable history of Leica elicits. The architects Gruber + Kleine-Kraneburg in Frankfurt are well known for their use of sharp, clean lines and modern materials to fashion stark and imposing constructions. The four main Leica buildings resemble cameras dropped on a light grey slate with the Leica red dot the only drop of colour adorning this tableau. Oh and the shape of the windows is based on 35 mm film sprocket holes.</p>
<p>There is the new boutique Ernst Leitz Hotel, the archive, museum, film department - that rents out lenses for blockbuster movies, Leica shop and a photo studio with its own car entrance. Not to mention the enormous cement globe in the middle of the roundabout as you enter, that bears the red dot on the map where the park is situated. It’s a bit like dying and waking up in photographers’ paradise, minus the scantily clad models of course.</p>
<p>The only naff thing about the trip was probably me wandering around with the Leica CL and snapping different snippets of the architecture, well rude not to really, it was all so photogenic, perfect mid grey tones and surgical lines everywhere. Though for reasons of secrecy I was not allowed to photograph inside the factory where they make the cameras and lenses. Leica produce all their lenses to very exacting standards, with numerous quality controls, rejecting anything that is not perfect. This where your money goes when you buy a Leica.</p>
<p>Leica lenses are still made by hand, using machines to grind them down to the right form and then refining and polishing in stages until they are ready to be assembled. Watching each piece of glass be placed in a machine, inspected and then polished again was fascinating. The glass is ground down with successively softer water, until it is just pure water used to finish the end result. The lenses are blacked on the side, to retain the contrast of the light coming in and each is hand lacquered with the serial number. The process is very expensive as each lens takes between 12 minutes for a spherical lens and an hour to make for an aspherical lens (no distortion) and costs between 300 to 600 Euros for each piece of glass. A camera lens contains many individual pieces of glass to draw as much light as possible and then focus it on to the film plane. Their aspherical lenses are finished to 0.1 microns, which is beyond industry standard.</p>
<p>Leica adhere to the belief that the camera is the tool to create great images and not the end result, which will devastate some photographers who believe the equipment is more important. Of course Leica is right, it’s all about enabling the artist to capture the very best image which is why they maintain the traditions of craftmanship and quality that makes them a little more expensive, but adored by a large community of photographers.</p>
<p>Oskar Barnack at Leica came up with the first 35 mm film camera by moving the film from the traditional vertical cinema format to horizontal in 1914 so a larger portion of the film would be exposed in each frame. This new landscape and portrait camera was the Leica I and only 31 were first produced. This camera was also aimed at convincing newspapers that they could afford to add images to their print runs, enlarging images from the negative was a cost effective way of producing images that were previously one shot - straight to print.</p>
<p>Leica still make analog or film cameras, not many - but these sales are actually rising as a new generation is rediscovering film. Leica also has a factory in Portugal which makes parts of the cameras, but everything is assembled and quality tested in Wetzler.</p>
<p>I lunched that day at the Weinwirtschaft Arcona Restaurant in the Living Ernst Leitz Hotel, which takes longer to say than to dine on three courses. It’s kind of a deli/cafe/buffet restaurant with very good food and a pleasant relaxed atmosphere. The chocolate mousse is worth the visit alone.</p>
<p>The Living Ernst Leitz Hotel goes for a minimalist arty boutique decor, relying on a palette of greys, warm tones and splashes of Leica red such as the sofas in the lobby. My room was comfortable with a large tv and walk in shower. My only niggle would be the addition of a bath robe as the towels provided were a little too sparse and could have been larger. The bar on the ground floor is appealing and very convivial with an interesting selection of whiskies where I spent a fun evening with Leica’s official photographer, who is great company. It was bustling with photographers and executives even on a Tuesday evening in the middle of winter, proof of how popular the park is.</p>
<p>The Leica museum next door is fascinating with prints from various Leica photographers exhibited on both the ground and first floor. Plus many instantly recognisable photographs that have become global icons in themselves, taken by Leica aficionados over the last 100 years. The full history of Leica is laid out in camera models too, so you admire the evolution of the different series and the almost seamless move into digital. One of the many things Leica did brilliantly was to maintain the quality and design of their digital cameras in keeping with their old film cameras.</p>
<p>The Leica archive opposite is a treasure trove of Leica memorabilia, old ad campaigns, posters and some of the original cameras, all immaculate stored and categorised. I held one Leica (the Leica I) that was exactly a hundred years old though they made me give it back when they spotted the lump in my jacket. There is good news for collectors as they not only maintain their own history with such precision but they also offer to repair and restore any classic Leica model, however old it is, which as they are all collector’s items is well worth doing. Leica is also launching a new series of exhibitions in April or May 2019, spread out over the two galleries, under the curator Reiner Packeiser, which if my brief conversation with him is any indication should be ground breaking.</p>
<p>Leica has a camera system to suit everyone if not all pockets, though the SOFORT instant cameras are very affordable. The Q series is wonderful with its full frame sensor and of course my favourite is the S series, which is their medium format offering that handles like a dream and takes quite superb images. It is amazing to hold, perfectly balanced and satisfying solid whilst the lenses are out of this world. The Leica CL is a very good first Leica, easy to carry and takes great street shots as well as portraits and landscapes. They are about to launch the S3 which will shoot video too, that’s the one I lust after. Leica also do limited editions which are a must for camera collectors, and unlike many other digital cameras will not lose their value quicker than you can say “update”. The M series can be made bespoke too as you can pick the top plate in brass, the body in coloured leather and have it engraved, all available with an online configurator.</p>
<p>The immediate connection between a camera and the world is the lens, this is the conduit for light and Leica are widely regarded as producing the finest glass lenses in the world. It is this globally acknowledged expertise that spurred Huawei to consult Leica for their latest smart phone lenses and Leica also recently announced their partnership with Panasonic and Sigma on the new L-Mount that will see these three companies producing interchangeable lenses.</p>
<p>The Leica Leitz Park is photographic heaven, especially for those photographers who grew up on film, a 3 dimensional architectural evocation of a period in history where photographs as prints were revered as artworks, as well as moments shared, like the tangible artworks exhibited in the museum. A must see for all Leica fans and those that wish to experience the heights of photography throughout the last hundred or so years. As mentioned earlier it was exactly as I imagined it to be and it is rare and heart warming when reality lives up to our dreams.</p>
<p>The Leitz-Park complex is open all year round and offers visitors inspirational exhibitions of exceptional photography, unique insights into the factory and the history of the company, guided tours, photography workshops and much more.</p>
<p>If you wish to further explore the area surrounding the Leica factory I highly recommend the Heyligenstaedt restaurant nearby in Gießen, the food is exquisite. I had a huge octopus with legs a foot long and two inches wide, exceptionally soft and succulent, pretty much the best octopus I’ve ever had and in Germany no less. The main course of goose was tender, rich and perfectly cooked with a delicious dark sweet sauce and the accompanying local white wine was excellent. The decor was art gallery style with exposed brick walls and the service was attentive and friendly.</p>
<p>They also have a jolly Christmas market in the nearby hamlet of Wetzlar, with chalets offering all sorts of Christmas gifts surrounded by traditional German architecture. There’s even an ice rink right in front of the gothic church, to complete this picture postcard scene. Frankfurt is only 45 minutes away too and they have a massive Christmas market with a tremendous selection of decent gifts with simply enormous Christmas trees everywhere. There are numerous food and wine stalls with gluvine or hot chocolate, including giant pretzels covered in chocolate. The stalls sell hats, scarves (this was doing brisk business), trinkets, jewellery, wooden toys, pastries, bratwurst, sauerkraut, gloves, xmas decorations, heart shaped “Kiss Mich” ginger bread and impressive ginger bread houses with witches.</p>
<p>These markets are rich in colourful landscapes and people, so perfect to capture on your new Leica.</p>
<p>All images above shot on the Leica CL.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/Leitz-Park" rel="nofollow">http://en.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/Leitz-Park</a><br /><a href="https://www.leicastore-uk.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">https://www.leicastore-uk.co.uk/</a><br /><a href="http://en.leica-camera.com/" rel="nofollow">http://en.leica-camera.com/</a><br /><a href="https://www.restaurant-heyligenstaedt.de" rel="nofollow">https://www.restaurant-heyligenstaedt.de</a></p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 18 Dec 2018 11:55:51 +0000Viscount Yves de Contades31654 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/viscount-yves-de-contades/world-leica-cameras-leitz-park-wetzlar#commentsThe Silo Hotel South Africa - Your Story Awaitshttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/silo-hotel-south-africa-your-story-awaits
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Helena Carter on Sat, 15/12/2018 - 22:12</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/willaston-bar.jpg?itok=sxs7J3Od" width="890" height="594" alt="Willaston Bar at The Silo" title="Willaston Bar at The Silo" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/ts-rooms-deluxe-superior-suite-lounge.jpg?itok=oOzq3FZA" width="890" height="594" alt="A deluxe superior suite lounge at The Silo" title="A deluxe superior suite lounge at The Silo" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/ts-rooms-deluxe-superior-suite-bedroom-3.jpg?itok=SbVFN79F" width="890" height="594" alt="Deluxe superior suite at The Silo Hotel" title="Deluxe superior suite at The Silo Hotel" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/ts-exterior-4.jpg?itok=EMLtH5gg" width="890" height="594" alt="The truly unique Silo Hotel" title="The truly unique Silo Hotel" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/ts-rooftop-pool-3.jpg?itok=Akjoeb5S" width="890" height="594" alt="The stunning rooftop pool at The Silo Hotel" title="The stunning rooftop pool at The Silo Hotel" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/panoramic-of-the-silo-hotel-and-view-of-cape-town-hi-res.jpg?itok=UbpJMY_H" width="890" height="594" alt="Panoramic view of Cape Town and The Silo Hotel" title="Panoramic view of Cape Town and The Silo Hotel" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>This page was blank for a long, long time.</p>
<p>Not because I couldn’t think of anything to say about The Silo Hotel. Quite the opposite. It was because there were so many ways to start the story of our stay, so many fabulous moments, that I really had no idea where to begin. We may have only spent one night here, but in that snippet of time the hotel and its staff created our own spectacular beginning, middle and end.</p>
<p>This is our Silo story.</p>
<p>From the outside, it looks rather intimidating. A proudly imposing chunk of history, the grain silo opened in 1924 - a protagonist in the prose of South Africa’s agricultural and industrial development. To experience it now is to stop and reflect on its transformation; where once grain was heaved and weighed and stored, now it houses imagination, beauty, an inspired vision.</p>
<p>The Silo Hotel is a melange of history and modern-day. Its past pulses through every inch of the browns and blacks of its exposed industrial architecture, and yet the building simultaneously surrenders itself to the artist’s palette, a party of colour celebrated in each room, each corridor, each staircase.</p>
<p>Indeed, this hotel gives you a reason to celebrate. We didn’t so much enter our room as be invited into the enormous space of our deluxe superior suite. The windows are eighteen feet high – huge pillowed pieces of glass beyond which explodes the spectacular view of Cape Town, the Waterfront and Table Mountain. A bottle of champagne, two glasses and this view. This was a reason to toast.</p>
<p>And so was the bath. I swear I would have spent an entire day here if I could. The floor to ceiling window bulged brazenly over polka-dot people bustling, selfie-taking, sipping and sight-seeing below. A bathroom of chunky zebra-stripe tiles, turquoise tables, bold, arching mirrors adjoining a charming expanse of bedroom (all 67m2 of it) with king-size bed, tables heaped with fruit, books, brandy (for later), a sofa so soft you’ll be tempted to re-write your itinerary entirely and a balcony leaning out towards the sunset...</p>
<p>...Which is the perfect time to head to The Silo Rooftop pool. Order a rose ginvino, The Silo’s signature cocktail – it is the perfect liquor percussion for Cape Town’s sunset serenade. The bar up here is open to the public, which is understandably a popular haunt, but the separate residents-only area is serene and luxuriously relaxed. Sipping in your slippers and dressing gown is positively encouraged. The offer of champagne brought to you as you admire the city from the pool – well, it would be a sin to turn it down. Tuna poke bowls, grilled prawn and chorizo skewers and beef empanadas are among the bar’s sundowner sidekicks.</p>
<p>The hotel’s main restaurant, The Granary Café, offers a deliciously eclectic menu. Malay tikka baby chicken, springbok shank, cape seafood curry and desserts of warm chocolate cake with mint marshmallow and turmeric caramel, and cinnamon mousse with lemon oat crumble… My mouth is watering at the memory.</p>
<p>What surprised me most, as it crept towards midnight, was that we were alone sitting in a corner of the hotel’s Willaston Bar. How could we possibly be the only people here? This hotel is far too fabulous to not be enjoyed to its maximum at all times. Yet that moment, just the two of us watching Cape Town sparkle beneath us, was simply gorgeous. Just above the bar you’ll find The Library – a tranquil den that's home to the most fabulous of sofas, its Monkey Bean fabric expertly-selected by Liz Biden.</p>
<p>Indeed, Liz is not only the owner of The Royal Portfolio properties, of which The Silo is one, but the ideas behind all the hotels’ interiors. Through style and colour, through furniture and fabrics, she creates, and recreates stories. It’s no coincidence that the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa sits just below The Silo Hotel, her choice of art within the hotel inviting and reflecting that housed below.</p>
<p>Each of the 28 rooms, from the breath-taking penthouse with triple aspect views of Cape Town to the mezzanine family suites, has its own personality, its own unique ability to ooze comfort, style and charmingly unselfconscious flamboyance.</p>
<p>For this very reason, we chose to breakfast in our room. There are smiles galore in The Silo, and our waitress exuded the warmth that every single member of staff here possesses in bucket-loads. She brought to us exotic fruits, English muffins with rosemary ham and hollandaise sauce, bircher muesli, vanilla oats with sultanas and treacle sugar, and healthy, freshly squeezed juice concoctions (please don’t judge, I did share…).</p>
<p>This is a superlative hotel. A hotel where staff embrace you with their words, their kindness and their attentiveness. My only niggle, the hotel’s parking isn’t clearly marked, so what should have been an effortless arrival turned out to be slightly more tricky. But a spot of trouble parking is reduced to nothingness when set against the backdrop of the Silo experience.</p>
<p>As we departed, London-bound, the staff lined the exit, waving and wishing us bon voyage and bidding us to return. And I very much hope we do.</p>
<p>At school, you’re always told to never ever end a story with the words, “but it was all a dream.” Apologies, Mrs White, but I’m almost tempted to do just that. Sitting at my desk, as London's daily ration of daylight fades, and the chill gets chillier (and chillier still), it seems like our sunset rooftop cocktails could have all been a beautiful figment of my imagination.</p>
<p>This is our Silo story. Yours is there waiting for you.</p>
<p>For more information or to book a room, visit: <a href="https://www.theroyalportfolio.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.theroyalportfolio.com</a></p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 15 Dec 2018 22:12:42 +0000Helena Carter31644 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/silo-hotel-south-africa-your-story-awaits#commentsLa Residence Hotel South Africa - Your Search For The One Is Overhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/la-residence-hotel-south-africa-your-search-one-over
<span class="submitted-by">Submitted by Helena Carter on Sat, 15/12/2018 - 20:11</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/front-entrance.jpg?itok=aNMmFtDl" width="890" height="594" alt="The impressive front entrance at La Residence" title="The impressive front entrance at La Residence" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/teahouse.jpg?itok=De_fuTzl" width="890" height="594" alt="The picturesque Tea House setting " title="The picturesque Tea House setting " /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/palmed-courtyard.jpg?itok=BYdoB1gY" width="890" height="594" alt="La Residence&#039;s palmed courtyard" title="La Residence&#039;s palmed courtyard" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/peacock.jpg?itok=NRkl10k6" width="890" height="594" alt="La Residence&#039;s permanent peacock residents " title="La Residence&#039;s permanent peacock residents " /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/pool2.jpg?itok=Enn3J4Ed" width="890" height="594" alt="A pool with a view at La Residence " title="A pool with a view at La Residence " /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/rainbowbreakfastlaresidence.jpg?itok=zJya8MUF" width="890" height="594" alt="Rainbow breakfast at La Residence" title="Rainbow breakfast at La Residence" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/laresidence-and-vineyardsuites.jpg?itok=_LRP7F5d" width="890" height="594" alt="The stunning La Residence and vineyard suites " title="The stunning La Residence and vineyard suites " /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/6_hugenot.jpg?itok=yvSkcNHn" width="890" height="594" alt="La Residence&#039;s Huguenot Suite" title="La Residence&#039;s Huguenot Suite" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://internationalexcellence.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_page/public/field/image/6_hugenot1.jpg?itok=HKfXwnM0" width="890" height="594" alt="The Huguenot Suite&#039;s beautiful bathroom" title="The Huguenot Suite&#039;s beautiful bathroom" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Finding The One isn’t always fairy-tale straight-forward. It takes patience, searching (and soul-searching). It means experiencing the not-so-right, the you’ve-got-potential, the what-on-earth-was-I-thinking?! But they always say, ‘You know when it's The One’. And I knew.</p>
<p>I knew from the mountains whose beauty rendered me speechless (a rare occurrence) as we wound our way along the drive, through charming vineyards and plump plum orchards. I knew from the moment we stepped into the exquisite banquet hall, greeted by beaming faces, a baby bouquet bursting with white flowers and a glass of local red wine. I knew from the lullaby purple hue of the blossom on the trees, from the brash strut of the resident peacocks, from the afternoon light melting onto warm copper-coloured walls.</p>
<p>I knew that this hotel was The One.</p>
<p>A tour of La Residence, set in South Africa’s Winelands just outside Franschhoek, confirmed my instincts. Vast fireplaces roared their welcome beneath enormous golden mirrors, delighting in their task of multiplying the hall’s beauty. A hall of brazen monochrome tiles, resplendent red dining chairs, high-vaulted ceilings, beneath which I felt miniature (as did my partner, all 6 foot 4 inches of him). Not lost in, or intimidated by the grandeur, but rather invited into it. Past cloud-soft sofas overlooking the lake, past the pool and the stream and row upon row of lavender – a lilac crescendo as we headed towards our Huguenot Suite.</p>
<p>If I could grab armfuls of glowing adjectives, shake them all up and explode them onto the page, then I might stand half a chance of being able to describe just how fabulous this suite is.</p>
<p>Should I start with the view across the vineyards and mountains immediately commanding your attention, or the astonishingly beautiful antiques that tousle your gaze back inside? Perhaps I begin with the king-size four poster bed or the chandelier glistening with history? Or the pepper-yellow cabinets filled with crockery - delicate teacups, China teapots, glass bottles, all endowed with a good-enough-to-eat elegance usually reserved for story book illustrations? Or maybe the bathroom’s delectably pompous pièce de résistance – a roll-top bath with its toe-curlingly glorious mountain view?</p>
<p>There’s just too much to choose from. So I won’t.</p>
<p>Instead, I’ll take you out onto our private balcony, only the humorously inelegant peacock squawks reminding us that we’re not completely alone. Indeed, Franschhoek means ‘French Corner’ in Dutch. Not only did we have our own piece of South-Africa-meets-France charm, but we had our own little corner of La Residence too.</p>
<p>Champagne waited patiently in pop-me-please anticipation beside an enormous bouquet of flowers. On our balcony table lay a picnic of salmon, fresh fruits, scones, homemade cakes (and much, much more, but I’m even starting to envy myself so I’ll gloss over the other delicacies). This was all just too perfect. I didn’t want this day to end.</p>
<p>So, in a bid to refuse the night’s arrival, I persuaded my partner into his swimming trunks and we dived into the pool, the mountains silhouetted by moonlight, two goose-pimpled bodies creating moments that, I hope, will be re-lived when we’re old and casting wistful trips down Memory Lane.</p>
<p>Dinner was a divinely romantic affair. One thing is for sure, La Residence knows how to make you feel special. At one end of the hall, candlelit steps tiptoed to our table for two, a dancing fire, a personalised ‘Matthew and Helena’s Dinner Menu’ awaiting. Each dish had been meticulously thought through, featuring fresh, local ingredients, many flourishing in the estate’s vegetable patches.</p>
<p>I began with paprika-fried calamari with rosa tomatoes, pickled zucchini, mango and papaya salsa (although I made sure to steal some of my partner’s cumin seared lamb loin with artichoke purée). Having never eaten springbok before, this was an absolute must. My new-found delight was accompanied by butternut fondant, asparagus, caramelised plums and cranberry sauce (now it was his turn to steal!). He chose roasted beef sirloin, cauliflower cream, sautéed celeriac, purple cabbage and truffle jus. There couldn’t possibly be any food envy to speak of. Every mouthful was simply delicious.</p>
<p>Our evening was made even more perfect by our waiter, Bruce. Even when all the other guests had disappeared, and the clatter and chatter of a hall in its element as host had given way to the quiet crackling of the fire, he encouraged us to stay and enjoy all that was left of the night. It was a night of sharing stories, of laughing, of contentment. Bruce talked to us about the history of La Residence, and whose artistic eye is behind all the stunning furniture and fabrics of The Royal Portfolio - and at my mere mention of chocolate-coated strawberries disappeared straight into the kitchen, only to appear minutes later with the mouth-watering fruit blushing beneath dark, white and milk chocolate.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is the perfect example of the staff’s attitude at La Residence. There is no distinguishing between You and Us. Instead, it’s We. A family happy to help in any way possible. No pomp and false grandeur. No stuffiness (despite the fact that guests include celebrities like Elton John). Just warmth and a joy that comes with knowing they’re giving you the most wonderful experience they can.</p>
<p>Breakfast. Now this absolutely must not be missed. Apple and walnut waffles, ricotta toast with poached eggs, portabellini mushrooms and red pepper relish, smoked kudu carpaccio with truffle oil and parmesan shavings. Freshly squeezed juices, a rainbow of fruits, pastries, cheeses, a Christmas-has-come-early display of deliciousness.</p>
<p>Our post-breakfast stroll took us through the Persian Alley, where alfresco diners had begun gathering for an early lunch, around the sun-speckled lake and past the vineyard suites (a perfect option for families or groups), along the fields where animals acknowledged us lazily as we went by, through fragrant rose gardens and vegetable patches bulging with nourishing goodness, and back to our own little corner on our balcony, where we took a moment to take it all in. To bottle up these memories.</p>
<p>Finding The One isn’t fairy-tale straight forward. But the patience, searching (and soul-searching) pays off. It means experiencing the not-so-right, the you’ve-got-potential, the what-on-earth-was-I-thinking?! But they always say, ‘You know when it's The One’. And I knew.</p>
<p>I knew from the moment I met him. I knew, sitting in that Sri Lankan restaurant in Soho on our first date that, should he ask one day, my answer would be ‘Yes’.</p>
<p>The morning before our arrival at La Residence, we walked to the top of Table Mountain. There, Matt got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was a gorgeously unexpected proposal. I arrived at La Residence practically pirouetting on Cloud 9, and they made sure I didn’t come off. An utterly magical stay.</p>
<p>This was The One.</p>
<p>For more information or to book a room, visit: <a href="https://www.theroyalportfolio.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.theroyalportfolio.com</a></p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 15 Dec 2018 20:11:58 +0000Helena Carter31643 at https://internationalexcellence.co.ukhttps://internationalexcellence.co.uk/luxury-magazine/content/helena-carter/la-residence-hotel-south-africa-your-search-one-over#comments